The iOS 10 Compatibility List

iOS 10 will be released in the fall as a free download for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, assuming your device is compatible with the new iOS release, anyway. If you have been wondering what devices are supported by iOS 10 and will get all the fancy new Messaging features and redesigned lock screen, wonder no more, we’ll show you exactly which device models will be able to run the newest iOS release and which didn’t make the cut.

It goes without saying that if you have a new model iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, it will support iOS 10. It’s the older models that start to have potential for compatibility loss,

iOS 10 Compatibility List

Every iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that is compatible with iOS 10 is shown below, this list is current as provided by Apple, though it’s always possible something could change the supported device list.

iPhone compatible with iOS 10

iPhone 6s

iPhone 6s Plus

iPhone 6

iPhone 6 Plus

iPhone SE

iPhone 5s

iPhone 5c

iPhone 5

iPad compatible with iOS 10

iPad Pro 12.9 inch model

iPad Pro 9.7 inch model

iPad Air 2

iPad Air

iPad 4th generation

iPad Mini 4

iPad Mini 3

iPad Mini 2

iPod Touch compatible with iOS 10

iPod Touch 6th generation

This list of iOS 10 compatible devices coincides with what Apple showed at the iOS 10 debut during WWDC 2016, which you can see below:

As you can see, the list of supported devices is similar to that which support prior iOS release, except now iOS 10 does not support iPhone 4s, iPad 2, iPad 3, and iPad Mini 1.

Initially some of those unsupported devices were included in the compatibility list on the Apple website, but it has since been updated and those devices have been removed. Presumably that was an error in the first place, because again the true device compatibility list was reflected in the iOS 10 debut presentation.

Of course it’s not just iPhone and iPad that have new system software coming, Mac users will also want to check out the MacOS Sierra compatibility list to be sure their computers can run the latest and greatest system software as well.

iOS 10 is set to debut this fall for all users in the general public release, though it is available to download now as a beta release now for developers and testers.

67 Comments

A iPad 4 gen is up grade to ten but a iPad 5gen not that stupid. If four is able than five sure be too . I think sometime the software update that will not work on some devices is just so you will have to go buy a new one than they will in six month or so they upgrade the software again and than your new one need replace again

I now have additional memory and wish to upgrade to a better OS. I now have Yosemite 10.10.5. When I go into the Apple store they try to give me the latest IOS which does not work. How can I upgrade to a lesser OS system?

Why i can’t download Whatsapp on my iphone running iOS 10?
Before i upgrade the ios into ios 10, i still can using my whatsapp, after i downloaded the ios 10, whatsapp disappeared
Anyone has the same problem?

I just bought an ipod 5th generation today. Only because I wanted the yellow one. Reading this has me freaked out. Should I return my 5th generation for 6th??? I haven’t bought an ipod in 12 years. Been listening to the same songs on my ipod and old iPhone 4s for years. I can’t update them with music off my computer or cds and finally decided to purchase a new one. Now this??? What should I do???

Some people have figured out how to get Android to work on iPads and iPhones. I might go there just to cut my losses.

Every since ios5 I gave been waiting on a reliable copy and paste.

Most every time I land at an international airport, I stuggle to get my iPhone to goto the login screen after connecting to the wifi. Android does not have the same problem. I see lots of others having the same issue.

Clearly you have never owned an unsupported Apple device. This means that developers will no longer update for any iOS other than the current, meaning when this is released I will no longer be able to remain current, and since many of the apps I use are interactive, they will be useless in short time.

Next time you shoot your mouth off, maybe you might consider doing some research first, that way you might have a shot at not ending up as you have here with your foot in your mouth.

None of Apple’s iOS devices, minus the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, ever went beyond 4 years. (Obviously this will change, now that the iPad 4th gen and iPhone 5 will also get a 5th year)

The first and second generation iPhones and iPod touch devices were supported for only 3 years. The iPhone 3GS was the first to buck this trend and have support for the additional year. The first iPad was dropped after only TWO years of support! The iPhone 4 was supported for 4 years like the 3GS, and both the iPad mini and iPod touch 5th gen were also given 4 years of support.

You have to understand, the iPad mini was given a one-year-old processor, just like the 5th gen iPod touch. That was undoubtedly going to shorten its lifespan. Unlike its contemporary devices which were getting the A6 processors, the iPad mini was given an A5.

The same will happen with the iPad mini 4. Apple released the iPhone 6S and iPad Pro with A9(X) processors, and the iPad mini 4 was given an A8.

This will NOT happen with the iPad mini 2, because it was given the same processor as its contemporaries, the A7.

You bought a device with an already-old processor. You should’ve known better. That’ll learn ya.

I’ve tested iOS10 on both iPad 2 & 3 both run it fine. Its a ploy to get users to upgrade to a new Air2 or Pro. Next step will be to make the swift playgrounds only seem compatable with the newer devices Mark my words

There is no ploy. The issue is that older hardware just can’t run the newer features on iOS10. Plain and simple. They have updated the older hardware for the last 4 years. It will sill work the same as it does today. If your ipad is working the way you want it to now then the only reason you would upgrade is because you want to.

Wrong. A lot of new stuff under the hood that you just don’t see. The ability to remove icons of stock apps is a nice new feature. The ability to actually see notifications when pressing the home button before they disappear is nice. There are a ton of new things that will make people want to upgrade.

This happens to me every time! Just as I save enough money to get the newest device, a new version is released and within a year or so my device is no longer supported on the latest software… Maybe I can save some money and get the new iPod Touch… It’s not an iPhone but at least it would run the latest software!

I would highly recommend getting an iPhone over an iPod touch, the hardware is better, the screen sizes are larger, and they tend to be supported broader simply because there are more of the devices out there requiring repair and service. Even if you use the iPhone as an iPod touch (meaning no SIM card or cell service), it is still usually a better device to get, plus it has GPS which is nice.

The sixth gen touch is avaliable with 128 GB. It’s the smallest platform with the mostest memory. The only way to tell sixth generation from the fifth gen ipod touch is the lack of lanyard button on the back.

And Apple goes on down the Windows road. There was a time when we Mac people would make fun of each new Windows release that was incompatible with PCs more than 3 1/2 minutes old (okay, I exaggerate a bit), and PC users usually had to buy new software upgrades to cope with it, too. Sound familiar nowadays in the Apple world?

New iOS comes out, usually a few devices that are 4+ years old are in danger of getting dropped. They were rather generous with last year’s release by supporting devices from 2011. This is absolutely nothing new with iOS. If anything, Apple were far less generous in the beginning. With iOS 4, Apple dropped the very first iPhone and first iPod touch (iOS 4 came out in 2010, the iPod touch and first iPhone came out in 2007). With iOS 5, they dropped the iPhone 3G (iOS 5 came out in 2011, the 3G came out in 2008). iOS 6, released in 2012, dropped support for the 2009 iPod touch and the first iPad, which was released in 2010! Just TWO years prior!

Now, Apple drops support devices that are 4-5 years old, and THEY’RE BECOMING LIKE WINDOWS LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Oh bs. I’m on an early 2009 iMac running El Capitan. Lets see a 2009 PC run Windows 10! lol Technically this iMac would run macOS Sierra just fine, but it’s unsupported. They had 4 different iMacs out in 2009 as they made motherboard changes.

Running the iOS 10 beta on my iPhone 6 daily driver. Performance has been on par with what I had in the 9.3.3 beta before I upgraded. No major issues either, aside from some graphical glitches particularly in the Messages app.

Overall, the first developer preview is normally a mess and for me at least, both macOS Sierra and iOS 10 are running (relatively) smooth.

Obviously it’s going to be faster than an iPhone 6… you’re running a far less complicated OS! One that has almost none of the latest features and is barely supported with any apps today. An iPad 3rd gen running iOS 5 may be faster than an iPhone 6 running iOS 10, but it’s far less useful, so that means nothing.

Even iOS 8 and iOS 9 have significant performance issues on iPad 2. The latest build is just so so so sluggish. It works, and my sister is happy with it, but I couldn’t deal with it anymore (and that’s why she has it now). I upgraded to the Air 2. I can imagine why iOS10 is just not suitable for iPad 2. I am sure it could run it, but realistically it would just be a real frustration for serious and above average usage – probably an experience Apple doesn’t want to give. Not to mention the features are much more limited, and that creates additional support. I can imagine a company that wants to make a proper profit with dropping iPad sales rather helps push sales support than product support and get return customers than spend time helping the really old ones with ‘why doesn’t it have 4k video editing like it says on the site!’ ..

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